By Duchess Ifeoluwa
A joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Ondo State Security Network, codenamed Amotekun Corps, has killed a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida, also known as Anwar, in Owo forest, Ondo State.
Ohida was reportedly killed alongside several other members of the terrorist group during an intelligence-led operation on its forest hideout at the weekend, in an operation the security agencies said was aimed at disrupting planned terrorist activities in parts of central and southern Nigeria.
The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Major Innocent Olamale, confirmed the killing on Monday, describing it as the outcome of a joint intelligence-led operation.
Security sources said Ohida had been preparing attacks in parts of southern Nigeria ahead of the Yuletide season and was allegedly involved in plans to target civilians and create instability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the sources, Ohida previously served as deputy to the former ISWAP Central Nigeria leader, Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais, who was arrested by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah’s arrest, the sources said Ohida assumed a leadership role in ISWAP activities across parts of the North-Central and southern regions, where he allegedly became involved in planning and coordinating terrorist operations.
The sources said intelligence obtained following the interrogation of Abu Uwais helped the DSS uncover Ohida’s alleged plans for attacks during the forthcoming festive period.
They further claimed that the intelligence was corroborated by international intelligence partners, including those in the United Kingdom, before the operation was launched against the terrorist group’s hideout.
One of the security sources described the operation as a significant disruption to ISWAP’s activities in central and southern Nigeria, particularly its reported efforts to establish and expand operational networks outside the group’s traditional areas of activity.
Ohida was also linked by security sources to a number of previous attacks in Ondo, Niger, Abuja and Kogi states.
Among them was the December 31, 2025 attack on the Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo Local Government Area, Ondo State, where armed assailants reportedly attacked the facility, took away weapons and subsequently destroyed the station with explosives.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed at the time that between 20 and 30 armed men had invaded the station, fired assault rifles and deployed explosives.
Security sources have now attributed the attack to Ohida, alleging that he planned and executed the operation.
They also linked him to the July 28, 2022 attack on a military checkpoint along the Suleja-Zuba Road in Niger State, in which soldiers, other security personnel and civilians were reportedly killed.
Other attacks allegedly attributed to the ISWAP commander include the July 11, 2022 attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja; the April 23, 2022 attack on Ogaminana Police Station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, where five police officers were reportedly killed; and the February 7, 2022 attack on the Okene Area Command police station.
The sources further alleged that Ohida was involved in the December 24, 2020 attack on a naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two naval officers.
The latest operation comes amid heightened security concerns over the possible expansion of terrorist activities into parts of southern Nigeria.
Security sources described Ohida’s elimination as a setback to ISWAP’s leadership structure and operational network in the central and southern parts of the country.
“We may not immediately realise it, but the elimination of Abdussamad Ohida represents a significant disruption to ISWAP’s leadership structure, operational network and expansion efforts in central and southern Nigeria,” one source said.
The source also linked the operation to the broader campaign against ISWAP leadership, saying Ohida’s death, coming months after the reported killing of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, would disrupt efforts to expand the group’s operational presence in Nigeria.
The reported operation highlights the increasing reliance on intelligence-sharing and cooperation among Nigeria’s conventional security agencies and regional security structures in confronting terrorist threats.
However, while the Army has confirmed Ohida’s death, details concerning the number of other ISWAP members killed in the operation, the weapons recovered and the full extent of the security operation have not been officially disclosed.
The development is significant for Ondo State, where security agencies have in recent months faced concerns over the activities of armed groups in forest corridors and attacks on security infrastructure.
